Friedrich Witt (1770 - 1836)

Concerto Fmajor (No.4) for 2 Horns

Friedrich Witt was born 8 Nov. 1770 in Niederstetten. At the age of 17 he came to the court of Oettingen-Wallerstein to complete his musical education. He was maybe a student of Antonio Rosetti (1750-1792).

There is a letter at the Wallerstein archive that says that Friedrich Witt was employed since October 1789 for 300 Gulden per year at the court orchestra. He played the cello. The prince let him often go for concert tours. Witt was from 1796 for a longer in Vienna. 1802 the Würzburg Bischof called him court chapel master where he worked until the dissolution of the court music. Additionally, he was music director of the Stadttheater Würzburg. Witt died highly respected 3 January 1836 in Würzburg.

These concerti for two horns were probably composed during Witt's time in Vienna. One of the three copies, which are at the National Library Vienna, has the note 1797. For whom these concerti was composed can only be guessed. Maybe these works were written for the hornists Nagel and Zwierzina. Witt knew them from his employment at the Court Oettingen-Wallerstein. It is known that both horn players toured also at that time to Vienna for concert.